Renowned human rights activists, Omoyele Sowore, and Dr. Bright Enabulele have condemned the arrest of social media critic, Martins Vincent OTSE, also known as Very Dark Man.
This writer understands that Very Dark Man, who hailed from Edo State, has been cooling off in a police cell for alleged cyberbullying.
Multiple reports claimed that Very Dark Man was arrested some days ago. Though, details of his arrest were yet-to-be made known at the time of filing this report.
Displeased with the arrest, Sowore noted that the police were only hiding under the disguise of Cybercrime Act, citing that another social media influencer, Chizorom Ofoegbu was also arrested for what he thought was similar to the case of Very Dark Man.
According to Sowore, the police are misusing their power, and colluding with powerful people in the country to oppress others.
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“This evening I learned that the @Policeng, under a very despicable way got Martins Vincent OTSE, also known as @thatverydarkman, detained wickedly hiding under cover of the Cybercrime Act because he said things some senior police officers weren’t comfortable with, so also was another social media influencer Chizorom Ofoegbu also known as @IjeleSpeaks2 arrested by the police and sent to prison in Keffi under questionable and inappropriate magisterial misconduct in Abuja apparently the @policeng colluded with a Pastor violating his fundamental rights, therefore jeopardizing his liberty.
“The @PoliceNG continues to misuse its powers to suppress free speech by colluding with pastors, GOs, entertainers, politicians, and the highly connected. I condemn this high-handed, reckless, inhuman, unjust and illegal police conduct and urge the @policeng authorities to release @thatverydarkman and @IjeleSpeaks2 with immediate effect. The @PoliceNG must continually be reminded that this is how it rode itself into #EndSARS, a mass action that nearly consumed the Nigerian Police Force. No one has a right to suppress free speech under the guise of illegality,” Sowore wrote on his X timeline.
He, however, charged the police to immediately release Very Dark Man, and Ofoegbu, and other others who have been detained under the criminally engineered “Cybercrime Act”
On his part, Enabulele, who’s also a gubernatorial aspirant in Edo State, emphasized the critical necessity of accurately interpreting the Cyberbullying Act.
Speaking with this writer, he highlighted the Act’s misuse by certain individuals to suppress others and infringe upon their freedom of expression.
“The cyberbullying Act should not be a tool for oppression or censorship. It must be interpreted in a manner that safeguards everyone’s right to express themselves freely without fear of unjust consequences. We cannot allow this law to be twisted to silence dissent or stifle legitimate discourse,” he stated.
Enabulele encourages Very Dark Man to continually let his voice be heard, particularly as a true son of the soil.
While expressing admiration for the TikToker’s courage, Enabulele urged the police to release him, emphasizing the importance of upholding justice and respecting individual rights.
“I admire the Very Dark Man’s courage and determination in speaking out against injustice. He embodies the spirit of Edo, and deserves to be heard without fear of persecution,” the Edo State gubernatorial aspirant stated.
Meanwhile, Ofoegbu had submitted a motion on notice to the Magistrate Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The motion, filed by his counsel Marvin Omorogbe, requests the court to nullify his remand at the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State.
